Improved apparatus for treating petroleum so as to produce oil and gas therefrom



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UNITED S'IAIESPA'IENT OFFICE.

ALONZO c. RAND AND WILLIAM M. sLoANE, or New YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVED APPARATUS FORTREATING PETROLEUM S0 AS TO PRODUCE OIL AND GAS THEREFROM.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 87,199, dated February 23, 1869.

To all 'whom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that we, ALONZO C. RAND and WILLIAM M. SLOANE, both of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Process and Apparatus for Generating Gas and Manufacturing Distillate or llluminatin g-0il from Petroleum 5 and we do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, makinga part of this it consists in the following process and apparatus for carrying it into operation: first, of a boiler in which the petroleum or other hydrocarbon is first volatilized by distillation; and, second, of a retort or series of retorts in combination therewith, in which said vapor is subjected to a high heat to convert it into a xed gas and, third, in the combination with these of a condenser and a series of pipes and stop-cocks, as hereinafter described, for adapting the apparatus to the double use before mentioned.

Petroleum or vany residuum thereof, or im pure hydrocarbon oil, is first placed in the boiler A, where'it is volatilized by the heat of the furnace B, and the vapors pass through the bent pipe K into the retort or series of retorts C, where they are superheated and converted into a iixed gas. vFrom the retort the gas is led through a pipe, d, to a coil, f, in the cooler or condenser E, where it is conducted to the gasometer by the pipe g. Connected with the latter is a goose-neck return-pipe, h,

the bend of which is placed below the coil f, so that any heavy liquid condensed from the gas will, after iillin g the inverted bend, so as to prevent the passage of gas from the pipe g or vapor from the boiler A, flow backv by gravity into the boiler and be redistilled into vapor, which again passes to the retorts.

- By this device all condensible liquid from the gas which leaves the retorts is again subjected to the treatment, and this may be repeated until all portions that are convertible into a fixed gas are thus utilized for that purpose.

By rst subjecting the material to amoderate heat those portions only are thrown into the retort which are capable of forming gas, and by this means the retort is prevented from becoming obstructed, and its capacity limited by the formation of coke, which, being a nonconductor, so seriously reduces its heating capacity that its frequent removal at great trouble and expense becomes necessary.

By the use of a separate vaporizing-boiler the rst may be graduated by increasing, las the evaporation progresses, from a comparatively low temperature when the charge is fresh or the oil of a light grade to as high a heat as may be required to vaporize the denser liquid. I

When the commercial value of reiined petroleum is such as to make it an object to not use it as a material for making gas, the vapor from the charge in the boiler A is allowed to enter the retort until the spirit of oil, the gasoline, and naphtha are driven off, when the stop-cocks l and m in pipes k and d are closed and the distillate passes through the branch pipe o directly to the condenser, and is drawn off by the branch-pipe p. When so employed the fire is withdrawn from the retorts, and the4 permanent gas which is formed with the distillate rises through the pipe g and is conveyed to the gas-holder. When not desirable to save Y the distillate, the volatiliz'ation of the charge in the boiler is continued until the distillate, paraiine-oil, and most of the residuum .are carried into the retorts, the temperature being elevated as the process continues till the volatilization is completed.

If desirable to draw off the heavier oil before the formation of coke in the boiler7 it may be done by means ofthe stop-cock g. y

A man-hole is provided at r for entrance to the boiler when required.

Being thus easily convertible to a double purpose, our apparatus forms a very useful, portable, or xed apparatus in many situations Where both the distillation of oil and the manufacture of gas may be advantageously carried on separately or together.

We do not claim the combination of the petroleum-still for vaporizing with a decomposing retort or retorts; but 4 What We claim as our invention7 and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of a vaporizing-boiler,

A, retort C, and condenser E, with their conour names in the presence of two subscribing,

Witnesses.

ALONZO G. RAND. WM. M. SLOANE. XVitn esses J. FRAsER, K. N. J ONES. 

